On Sat, Feb 21, 2026 at 11:22:30AM +0200, Wouter Verhelst wrote:
> There is no option 5, "do not buy hardware that does not require
> non-free firmware", because such hardware does not exist. There *is* an
> option to buy hardware that makes more of its parts functional if you
> choose to go for option 1, but that is absolutely not the same thing.
Option 5 would be: do not buy non-free devices, regardless which part of
it is non-free, hard- or firmware.
I don't understand that focus on firmware. For a long time now, devices
consist of special purpose hardware, running the stuff that is hard, and
general purpose hardware, running ancillary stuff. Both parts, hard-
and software, are compiled from code, C/C++ or so for the software,
Verilog for the hardware. This can be even FPGA, aka configurable
logic, and with the ability to update it.
So where does this disconnect come from? Hardware, compiled from code,
is okay. But the other integral part of the device, the software, also
compiled from code, is not okay.
Bastian
--
Power is danger.
-- The Centurion, "Balance of Terror", stardate 1709.2
